The playoff race is starting to heat up as the USFL enters Week 7. Two of the league’s teams have clinching scenarios that will guarantee a trip to Canton, Ohio for the USFL playoffs if they can earn wins this weekend.
The New Jersey Generals need only beat the Tampa Bay Bandits and they will clinch one of the two North Division playoff berths. The Generals can also guarantee passage to Canton if they lose and both the Michigan Panthers and Pittsburgh Maulers also lose.
Meanwhile, the still-undefeated Birmingham Stallions can clinch one of the two South Division playoff berths if they win and get some help. The Stallions have to beat the Maulers, who have the NFL’s worst offense, but they also need the Bandits to lose to the Generals. So, the Stallions faithful will be pulling for the Generals when Week 7 kicks off on Saturday afternoon.
There is once again no Friday night game in the USFL this week, so all four games will be played on Saturday and Sunday. Here’s everything you need to know about Week 7 of the USFL season:
THE NEW USFL: Rule changes, coaches | Schedule | Uniforms
USFL schedule Week 7: What games are on today?
Here’s the full schedule for the seventh week of the 2022 USFL season, including how to watch each game live.
Saturday, May 28
| Game | Kickoff time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Generals (5-1) vs. Tampa Bay Bandits (3-3) | 12 p.m. | USA, fuboTV |
| New Orleans Breakers (4-2) vs. Michigan Panthers (1-5) | 9 p.m. | FS1, fuboTV |
Sunday, May 29
| Game | Kickoff time (ET) | TV channel |
| Birmingham Stallions (6-0) vs. Pittsburgh Maulers (1-5) | 2 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV |
| Philadelphia Stars (3-3) vs. Houston Gamblers (1-5) | 6:30 p.m. | Peacock |
Saturday USFL games TV channel, live stream
Here’s how to watch the two USFL games that will be played on Saturday.
Generals vs. Bandits
The Generals are positioned to clinch a playoff berth if all goes well for them in Week 7. All they need to do is win — or see the Maulers and Panthers both lose — and they will make the postseason tournament. However, quarterback De’Andre Johnson exited last week’s game with a knee injury, so they will be relying on Luis Perez to carry them at that position.
New Jersey has a top-tier defense and has allowed the second-fewest points in the league this season at 105. The Generals will need to bring their A-game on this side of the ball, as the Bandits have the third-fewest points in the USFL at 112. Jordan Ta’amu and Co. have been playing better of late, however, and Tampa Bay is desperate for a win to keep pace with the Breakers in the South Division playoff race. As such, this could end up being the marquee battle of the week.
Breakers vs. Panthers
Speaking of New Orleans, the Breakers have the league’s No. 1 defense and are playing against a Panthers team that has averaged just 17.3 points per game. That’s the second-fewest in the USFL. Further complicating matters is the fact that Michigan just cut its starting quarterback, Shea Patterson, and will have to rely on either Josh Love or Paxton Lynch to lead its passing game.
The Panthers have a strong running game, but that may not allow them to keep up with a New Orleans offense that leads the league in passing yards. The Breakers have Kyle Sloter and if he’s healthy, he could give the Panthers’ defense fits. If not, it will be the Zach Smith show with Patterson serving as the new backup.
The Breakers are fresh off a 10-point win over the Maulers that saw them run the ball more frequently than they have in weeks past. Meanwhile, the Panthers are coming off a loss to the undefeated Stallions. The Panthers have just one win on the season, a 24-0 shutout over the Maulers.
Sunday USFL games TV channels, live streams
Here’s how to watch the two USFL games that will be played on Sunday.
Stallions vs. Maulers
This may be the most lopsided matchup in the brief history of the new USFL. The Stallions are still undefeated and have ridden two quarterbacks — J’Mar Smith and Alex McGough — to a 6-0 record. Their defense is strong and Bo Scarbrough played very well last week to give the running game a boost.
As for the Maulers, they are the lone USFL team that has been shut out and have scored a league-low 76 points. Birmingham, by comparison, has a league-high 162. Vad Lee has been better for Pittsburgh at quarterback than Josh Love and Kyle Lauletta, but they probably don’t have enough firepower to keep pace with the Stallions.
Also, the Stallions can clinch a playoff berth with a win, so they have every motivation to beat the Maulers in this one.
Stars vs. Gamblers
- Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
- Live stream: Peacock
The Stars and Gamblers possess the two worst scoring defenses in the USFL. That means this contest should be a high-scoring one, especially considering that the Stars like to sling the ball a lot with Case Cookus.
Philadelphia will be a pass-happy attack and that will allow Chris Odom — who leads the USFL in sacks with eight — to potentially reach double-digit sacks in this matchup. On the other side of the ball, the Stars have struggled against the run, so Gamblers running back Mark Thompson will need to perform well in this one.
The Gamblers have, incredibly, blown a second-half lead in five straight games and lost all of them. In three consecutive weeks, they have lost on a walk-off play with 10 or less seconds left on the clock. Each of Houston’s last two losses have come on the final play of regulation.